Kodai Sano at FIFA World Cup 2026
NEC Nijmegen
Primary
Central Midfielder
Others
Defensive Midfielder, Attacking Midfielder
Kodai Sano has become one of Japan's more interesting young midfielders because he now combines Eredivisie development minutes with a first step into the senior national team.
The NEC Nijmegen midfielder enters the FIFA World Cup 2026 cycle with a growing club role, technical range through central areas, and a profile built on progression, movement, and clean possession.
Quick Answer
Kodai Sano is a 22-year-old Japan midfielder for NEC Nijmegen.
He is primarily used as a central midfielder, with cover across defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder.
His current club contract runs through June 2028.
His reported weekly salary is €1,731 (est.), and his estimated net worth is Financial analysis pending.
Team Overview
Sano matters because Japan's midfield benefits from younger players who can help connect phases of play without losing structure.
He gives the squad a mobile central option who can progress the ball, support circulation, and still offer some defensive work in deeper zones.
Early Life and Background
Sano was born in Tsuyama, Okayama, and developed through FC Viparte before moving into the strong school-football environment at Yonago Kita High School.
That path helped shape a midfielder who arrived in senior football with a solid technical foundation and the ability to adapt to different central roles.
Kodai Sano Personal Info and Profile
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Kodai Sano |
| Date of birth | 25 September 2003 |
| Age | 22 |
| Nationality | Japan |
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Weight | Professional monitoring |
| Position | Central Midfielder |
| Preferred foot | Right |
| Current club | NEC Nijmegen |
| Contract end | June 2028 |
| Transfer value | €6M |
| Jersey number | 23 |
| Weekly salary | €1,731 (est.) |
| Estimated net worth | Financial analysis pending |
Kodai Sano Club Career
Fagiano Okayama gave Sano his first professional platform, and across the 2022 and 2023 seasons he produced 50 senior appearances and 5 goals in J2 football.
NEC Nijmegen signed him in August 2023, and the move quickly changed his profile because he adapted well to Eredivisie football and became a more productive attacker from midfield than many expected.
That early European transition mattered because it accelerated both his tactical growth and his visibility inside Japan's wider player pool.
Sano remains with NEC Nijmegen on a contract through June 2028, and Transfermarkt's late-2025 update places his market value at €6 million.
Capology's 2025-26 estimate puts his salary at roughly €1,731 gross per week, reflecting a modest but verified Eredivisie contract for a rising young player.
That matters for Japan because he now arrives from a settled European role where his decision-making, movement, and final-third timing are tested regularly.
Kodai Sano - Stats and Performance
| Season | Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Fagiano Okayama | All competitions | 29 | 3 |
| 2023 | Fagiano Okayama | All competitions | 21 | 2 |
| 2023-24 | NEC Nijmegen | All competitions | 31 | 6 |
| 2024-25 | NEC Nijmegen | All competitions | 28 | 3 |
| 2025-26 | NEC Nijmegen | All competitions | Subject to confirmation | Subject to confirmation |
| Career Total | Senior club football | 109+ | 14+ |
Sano's profile is strongest when his movement and technical security are read together, because he influences attacks without needing constant touches.
| Season | Club | Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists | xG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | NEC Nijmegen | Eredivisie / KNVB Cup | Subject to confirmation | Subject to confirmation | Subject to confirmation | Subject to confirmation |
International Career
Sano had already represented Japan at U20 level before making his senior debut on 10 June 2025 in a World Cup qualifier against Indonesia.
He has now reached 2 senior caps and remains relevant because Japan still need younger midfielders who can grow into tournament-level supporting roles.
| National team | Caps | Goals | Tournament involvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan U20 | 2023– | 11 | 2 |
| Japan | 2025– | 2 | 0 |
Honours and Trophies
Transfer News and Market Value
The key Sano story in the 2025-26 cycle is continuity at NEC rather than a new transfer, because his value has risen through strong development rather than headline-moving transfers.
That matters because stability has given him time to grow his output and build a more convincing case for regular Japan involvement.
Kodai Sano Salary and Net Worth
Capology lists Kodai Sano at an estimated €1,731 gross per week at NEC Nijmegen, which works out to roughly €90,000 gross per year, but those figures should still be treated as estimates rather than club-confirmed payroll reporting.
The firmer public markers are his NEC contract through June 2028, his first senior Japan caps in 2025, and his current €6M market value in the 2026 cycle.
Kodai Sano 2026 Style, Strengths, and Tournament Outlook
Sano's biggest tournament strength is adaptability because he can help Japan from more than one central role.
The challenge is that Japan's midfield competition remains intense, so he still has to prove he can translate club-level influence into senior international trust.
Even so, he looks like a genuine rising option rather than only a distant future prospect.
